After a successful session of bonding over sundae's, the mother daughter duo returned to Revello Drive. Upon walking closer to the house, Buffy saw an unfamiliar blue car in the driveway. The closer she got to it, the more familiar it became.

"Why is that car so familiar…" she said to no one in particular.

"What Mommy?" Dawn asked, pulling Buffy out of her reverie.

"Uh, nothing…I think," Buffy said while trailing off in her own thoughts.

Buffy, with Dawn situated on her hip, opened the front door and saw a man talking with her mother who she hadn't seen in quite a while…

"Dad… Daddy?"

"Hi Honey!" Hank Summer's exclaimed while rushing over to give his daughter and granddaughter a hug.

"You must be Dawn?"

"Yeah, my name is Dawn, I'm six." Dawn stated while wiggling out of her mother's arms, "Momma, put me down! Blues Clues is on!"

Placing her daughter on the floor, Dawn scampered off into the living room leaving into a shell shocked Buffy speechless. Finally, she got the nerve to ask her father the one question that was on her mind, "Dad, what are you doing here? It's been years…"

"I know, honey, I feel really terrible about that. I'm not going to make any excuses but with work, the divorce, and you and your mother moving to Sunnydale… I want to make it up to you. Your mother told me Dawn's staying here permanently, and that you've been doing really well in school. She told me how many positive changes you've made in your life and for that I'm proud of you."

"Uh," Buffy stammered, "Thanks, I guess."

"Buffy," Joyce interjected, "Why don't I take Dawn, and you and your dad can catch up."

"Yeah honey, want to go for a walk and you can fill me in on the last five years?"

"Sure, I guess. Let me just grab a sweatshirt."

Walking upstairs into her room, Buffy found her favorite blue sweatshirt discarded on her bed. Picking it up, and heading for the door, she paused… A bright floral photo album caught her attention. Heading to her bookshelf, she picked up the album and headed down stairs.

"Okay," she exclaimed, "I'm ready to go."

"Alright Princess, let's head out."

Just being next to her father, was surreal. For the last five years, he wasn't a constant. He was just an enigma. He walked out on Joyce, and completely forgot about Buffy. For the longest time, Buffy thought it was her fault that her father left, but eventually, as she got older and wiser, she realized that her dad was just a selfish jerk. When she got pregnant, her father had already left, and never met Dawn. Hank Summers walked out on Buffy when she needed him the most.

Even though Buffy felt conflicted, she wanted to give her father the benefit of the doubt. It was going to take time for her to trust him, or even have a semblance of a relationship. But the fact that he was there trying was good enough for Buffy.

"So what's that?" Hank asked pointing to the album, as they walked out on the porch.

"In short, it's the last five years, " replied Buffy.

"Oh, well show me. We can sit on the porch swing, we don't even have to go for a walk."

After sitting down, Buffy found it awkward to be so close to her dad.

"So," Buffy began and opened up to the first page, "This is the first picture of Dawn," she exclaimed pointing to the image of her and newborn Dawn in the hospital.

"Wow, Buffy she's so gorgeous…"

"I know," Buffy nodded in agreement, "she was the cutest newborn. All the nurses would come in and just look at her. I never let her out of my sight or into the nursery. I was afraid that she would be mixed up. Silly, I know but it really worried me."

"What about this one?" Hank asked pointing to a picture of Angel, Buffy, Xander and Willow.

"Oh, that was taken on the pier before graduation. The redhead is Willow, the guy with the arms around her is Xander, and Angel…" she stops and traces the outline of his face, "was my boyfriend. Without them, I never would have gotten through high school."

"So this Angel guy, did he treat you right?"

"Dad, he was one hundred million times better then he-who-will-remain-nameless."

"Parker?"

"Dad, Obviously," Buffy said, "A maggot is better then Parker. Suffice to say, I have much higher standards."

"Well," Hank chuckled, "that's good to know. Speaking of the nameless ex-boyfriend, has he ever even met Dawn?"

"Nope," Buffy exclaimed while popping the 'p', "If I have anything to do with it, he never will."

Sensing that the subject was closed Hank pointed to another picture, "So, you were the Homecoming queen too?"

"Oh yeah, this girl Cordelia and I fought tooth and nail for the crown. She was such a bitch. She thought just because she was pretty and popular she ruled the school. She made a snide comment… About me not having friends, and dumping her because I could have been popular. I mean, I had better friends then she ever would, and she awoke the prom queen within. It was a interesting competition to say the least…"

After going through the entire album, and down nostalgia lane, Buffy and Hank were interrupted by a very tired Dawn.

"Mommy, put me to bed now. I am tired!"

"Parental duty calls," Buffy turned to Hank, "Want to read her a story? If you read her Cinderella, she will love you forever."

"Yeah Cinderella! Yes please, it's my favorite."

Taking the hand Dawn offered him, the trio went upstairs to read Cinderella.